Extended Education & Outreach
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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Lincoln, Neb., June 20, 2005 -- The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Independent Study High School has won the Distinguished Award in the University Continuing Education Association's 2005 Distance Learning Community of Practice Course Awards competition. The Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History course is the second course in the past two years from the Independent Study High School to receive this prestigious award.

The Distance Learning Course Awards recognize new and innovative courses that utilize one or more forms of instruction at a distance. The five-person panel judged courses on three categories including course preface, lessons and general quality. The AP history course competed against University of Missouri's Civics: Participating in Government, University of North Dakota's World Literature, Brigham Young University's Chemistry 1, and University of Indiana's English: Mysteries, with UNL receiving the highest score of 229.5.

Judging criteria included lesson introductory material, instruction, submitted assignments and assessments, writing style, writing mechanics, editorial consistency, page orientation, layout, cover and graphics.

The AP U.S. History 1 course is designed to prepare high school-level students for the Advanced Placement U.S. History examination. This serves as a means to earn college credit while still in high school.

"The track record of the UNL Independent Study High School from its inception is one of academic rigor and richness. Students are able to receive high quality academic course work that will fully prepare them for future academic success," said Mary Duffy, director of High Ability Learner Education for the Nebraska Department of Education.

The award examined the creation and management of virtual learning environments, instructional design, planning the use of instructional technologies, development of learner support systems and advising services, inter-institutional articulation and partnerships, management of off-campus library services and copyright matters and legislation and policies impacting higher education.

Marie Barber, Director of Instructional Design & Development, said "Winning the Distinguished Award from UCEA is such an honor. Our instructional team works hard to ensure that our courses meet the highest standards, and winning this award validates our efforts to do so."

Founded in 1915, the University Continuing Education Association (formerly the National University Continuing Education Association) is among the oldest college and university associations in the United States. As the principal U.S. organization for continuing higher education, the association assists institutions of higher learning and affiliated nonprofit organizations to increase access through a wide array of educational programs and services. They are dedicated to the promotion of excellence through a program of awards that recognize outstanding continuing higher education leadership, educational programs, student services, college and university administrators and faculty, and continuing education students. For more information about UCEA, visit www.ucea.edu.

For more information about this story or others, please visit http://NebraskaHS.unl.edu or call the Independent Study High School at 1-866-700-ISHS (4747) or (402) 472-2175.